Williamsburg Explores Life Minus Light At Mt. Vernon

WILLIAMSBURG — When road crews moved underground utility lines along Richmond Road about a month ago, they accidentally cut off power to the stop light at Mount Vernon Avenue.

While they waited for fixes to the light at the busy intersection, Williamsburg officials seized the opportunity to do a bit of research. They asked themselves, "How much is this light needed anyway?"

They heard mixed reviews, said Dan Clayton, director of Williamsburg public works and utilities.

"Not having the light benefits a majority of the traffic, with the exception of those making a left turn from Mount Vernon onto Richmond Road," he said.

The Richmond Road drivers benefited the most. Whether heading north toward Bypass Road or south toward Colonial Williamsburg, the light's absence made for a smoother trip.

The Mount Vernon Avenue-Richmond Road light is just about 400 feet north of the light where Lafayette Street, Monticello Avenue and Richmond Road meet. At the busiest times of day, drivers turning left from Monticello Avenue onto Richmond Road don't have room to cross the intersection because a red light at Mount Vernon stops the traffic flow.

With the Mount Vernon light out of commission, drivers could flow easily onto Richmond Road and keep traveling until reaching the light at Bypass Road.

"We heard from several people who liked that," said City Manager Jack Tuttle.

The city also heard from drivers who felt differently.

Most of those drivers who begged city officials to turn the light back on told Tuttle and Clayton they waited a long time to turn left onto Richmond Road from Mount Vernon.

"It was very difficult to make a left turn out of there at certain times of the day without that light," Clayton said.

He doubted those drivers would use Garrison Drive from Mount Vernon Avenue to exit onto Monticello Avenue instead. That intersection doesn't have a light.

City leaders still are researching the issue even though they turned the stoplight back on. Part of their research includes taking traffic counts at each of the intersections. They'll take the next few months to consider removing the light at Mount Vernon Avenue and Richmond Road as they plan a widening project for Richmond Road in that area, Clayton said.

The widening project would give Richmond Road -- between Bypass Road and Monticello Avenue -- one more lane heading north toward Bypass Road. The widening is expected to reduce delays at the Monticello Avenue, Lafayette Street and Richmond Road intersection, Clayton said.

Officials at the Virginia Department of Transportation, who are in the process of re-prioritizing roadwork projects statewide, haven't set a start date for the Richmond Road widening work.

Kara Urbanski can be reached at 229-3784 or by e-mail at kurbanski@dailypress.com